‘A PEOPLE’S MANIFESTO – A POSITIVE CHANGE, COUNTRY FIRST AGENDA’
1 - PREAMBLE
We the people of Ghana having:
Observed that 50 years of political independence has failed to deliver the much needed and expected economic independence;
Conscious that freedom and justice of the Ghanaian Coat of Arms and the citizenship rights and entitlements have not chimerical; Noting that the mandate Ghanaians give to politicians have been consistently abused, disrespected and taken for granted for far too long by countless broken promises, unaccountable accumulation of wealth by politicians and abject drudgery for the majority of Ghanaians; Cognizant of the fact that corruption, dishonesty and tribalism in public office have callously led a lot of Ghanaians to certain bitter death, misery and hopelessness in our beloved country; Aware that this sense of desperation and helplessness consequent to lack of selfless leadership have compelled a lot of fellow Ghanaians to emigrate and settle for second-class treatment in foreign countries sometimes with hostile weather, oftentimes in dangerous circumstances doing work that they would otherwise normally not do in their own country, just so as to be able to care for loved ones; Realising that the old school partisan politics have created subservience to a divide and rule mentality, that diverts attention from the primary issues of national construction, plays into the hands of forces against the progress of Ghana to the detriment of the noble business of providing for citizenry; Believing that Ghanaians cannot afford a future with the same old egotistic politics that have so abysmally dashed hopes and aspirations but reeks so untold inhuman havoc with an unbearable legacy; Determined that there must be an immediate end to the unnecessary and avoidable long suffering and denial of citizenship rights to the majority of Ghanaians; Ghana and Ghanaians cannot afford another 50 years of the same old callous ‘slave-plantation, ‘animal-farm’, ‘two worlds’ existence. We proclaim that the aforementioned are a recipe for instability and only a new political era of progressive positive change and a jettisoning of the old school of regressive and parochial politics will guarantee long-term stability, and national development based on the following ‘POSITIVE CHANGE, COUNTRY FIRST AGENDA’.
2 – VISION
A more perfect, prosperous and internationally respected Ghana in our lifetime where dignity, equity and the fundamental human rights of all Ghanaians are fulfilled at home and abroad.
3 - MISSION
Citizenship advocacy programs to counter the democratic deficits inherent in the Ghanaian political system, hold politicians to account and promote a sustainable economic development of Ghana for the tangible benefit of all citizens.
4 - A NEW MEANING OF POLITICAL OFFICE & POWER A progressive meaning of political office that is predicated on the notion of COUNTRY FIRST, and SERVICE TO COUNTRY and CITIZENS must take immediate effect. Political office is a privileged position of trust, responsibility, and honour and must be discharged with utmost selflessness and service to the people; far from the existing misconception of political office viewed as an opportunity to amass incredible amounts of ill-gotten wealth while the electorate, the source of mandate struggle with pittance. If people want to amass wealth, they have the option of going into private business, create wealth and pay taxes accordingly. Not in politics, because that amounts to abuse of office, trust, mandate and power.
Political office and political power are potentially potent instruments to primarily serve the people, who offer their mandate in exchange of security, protection from harm and improvement in their living conditions to whom any benefits must be transferred first and foremost – a guarantee of dignity and fundamental human rights. Political office comes with clearly stated conditions of service and nothing more. People seeking political office have a duty to understand the responsibilities that come with it and should only go into politics, with the preparedness to live up to high standards and to serve their country primarily.
5 - PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC SERVICE
- Selflessness: Holders of public office should take decisions solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.
- Integrity: Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties.
- Objectivity: In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.
- Accountability: Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.
- Openness: Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.
- Honesty: Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.
- Leadership: Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.
6 - SOVEREIGNTY
As is self-evident, the attainment of political independence and hence sovereignty was costly. Any attempt to undermine national sovereignty such as sale of strategic national assets for short-term must be seen as treasonable. Facilities and institutions such as mineral resources, defence, communications, transport, health, and stock exchange must all be kept under state control. Partnerships with the state must be scrutinised by an all party parliamentary committee and any interests published for public scrutiny. The mandate to rule entails a responsibility to protect national sovereignty including strategic national assets. Any government that is unable to guarantee the protection of strategic national assets is unfit to govern and must be seen as operating against the interests of the people.
The Private investment strategy must be aligned and brought under the eagle jurisdiction of national sovereignty. Private investors are expected to bring value into the economy, build their own infrastructure but not meddle with strategic national assets. For instance, foreign banks may establish in Ghana but must not takeover any Ghanaian national financial institutions. This approach must be a central theme of a new politics agenda for change.
Further, under no circumstance should Ghana have foreign observers to monitor our elections; this is a partial submission of sovereignty. Ghana does not observe European nor American elections and it is presumptuous for non-Africans to observe our elections. No democratic elections are perfect. We may however call for United Nations assistance if we choose to under defined special circumstances.
7 - ANTI-CORRUPTION TASK FORCE
Every government since independence has been rocked by corruption scandals of one way or the other – from the proverbial 10% government contracts fees, multiple real estate interests to missing shiploads of cocaine. It seems as though corruption has become de facto ‘legitimised’ in Ghana. A new politics of change must commit and adopt a zero-tolerance stance on corruption that becomes inscribed into the national conscience.
A national debate must be held on the nature and causes of corruption because every time it occurs there are losses to government in tax income and to the people in terms of entitled citizenship benefits. An aggregate of corruption nationally is a scary thought requiring the need for eradication out of society. Most corruption arises from greed, often by those in positions of power, influence and trust who have the choice not to be corrupted, indicating with the right attitude, culture and environment, it can be avoided.
8 - PUBLIC SECTOR: A PRODUCTIVITY APPROACH A credible change agenda must include a new public sector work ethos and culture of service to country, first and foremost with delivery plans with SMART targets that are rigorously monitored for productivity. Customer care standards must be at the heart of their operations and an acid test of service. Public sector institutions must be conclusively and responsively reformed to serve country and not any other interests. Ghana is endowed with enough talent to create highly viable public sector institutions under clear leadership and shared vision of an economically developed non-partisan nation. Anyone paid by the public purse must justify earnings with tangible outputs and outcomes, not inefficient processes while the majority of citizens suffer generation after generation.
9 - PRIVATE SECTOR: AN ETHICAL BUSINESS APPROACH
A new progressive agenda should entail the creation of a conducive environment for the private sector to thrive, but not at the expense of the citizens welfare, compromise of national strategic assets, nor indeed national economic development. The emerging private sector must be a partner in national reconstruction, wealth creation and an equitable distribution of income through a progressive tax regime.
The new change agenda must enable and encourage ethical entrepreneurs and not rogue, callous and disrespectful business men who masquerade as ‘investors’ only to take possession of our national assets and transform the Ghanaian economy into a ‘slave plantation’ with ‘house niggers’ in charge and the mass of plantation slaves in perpetual poverty. The economy of Ghana must principally serve the fundamental needs of Ghanaians and not a few lackeys who are prepared to betray and sacrifice the very livelihoods and destiny of their own countrymen.
10 - CIVIL SOCIETY: AN ETHICAL INFRASTRUCTURAL APPROACH An essential element of a political agenda of change must partner with civil society organisations and create an enabling environment to maximise their innovation and creativity advantage. This sector should be capacity built to function more effectively with a designated ministerial portfolio. Civil society organisations oftentimes are closer to the grassroots than government and should be engaged as viable strategic partners to complement the macro development efforts of government.
At the same time, a new approach to vet and closely monitor the activities of foreign charities with supremacist mindsets only interested in building their own careers who exploit rather than help tackle the problems of economic under-development must be introduced. Genuine friends of Ghana and Africa whose tradition have historically assisted in the liberation struggles such as against colonial and anti-apartheid oppression must be welcome, but not those who come to undermine our development under dubious guises. The new slavery is economic underdevelopment and we need genuine allies to travel the journey.
11 - ANTI-POVERTY STRATEGY
One of the main purposes to which citizens’ mandate is invested in every government is the provision of the fundamental needs for the people, without which dignity is often denied. The non-attainment of this important desired outcome is an obvious dishonour of citizens’ mandate, especially where a clear strategy is absent. Governments have to demonstrate a transparent plan to meet measurable objectives that are tangible and translatable into markedly improved life quality for citizens. Anything less is intolerable. Ghanaians have had enough of broken promises which only turn out to be, at best the fulfilled selfish greed of politicians themselves and their immediate families. A definite departure with the past must be made and millions of lives must be saved from deliberate destruction due to the absence of a clear anti-poverty strategy.
12 - ANTI-TRIBALISM POLICY A new politics of change must be on a post-tribalism and patriotic platform of merit. The politics of tribalism has no sustainable benefits, fosters parochialism and insidious division which undermines the notion of national government of the people, by the people and for the people. Ghana was in the forefront of fighting apartheid and racism that are predicated on bigotry, prejudice and condescension for otherness. Ghana’s tradition of fighting injustice is inconsistent with the destructive and backward politics of tribalism. There is only One Ghana, One Ghanaian People and One Destiny. After 50 years, Ghana politics must mature enough to transcend elementary paradigms of disrespect towards the diversity of nature of which each and everyone is a reflection.
13 - AGRICULTURAL POLICY: GUARANTEE OF FOOD SUFFICIENCY
Sovereignty and self government are intertwined with food self-sufficiency. Every nation worth its sort must be able to feed itself. It is tragic to claim self-government and still be begging for food to feed once citizens five decades on. The new vision of politics of change, must undertake a proactive program to guarantee food sufficiency for its people, before exporting any surplus. The global food market is worth hundreds of billion dollars per year and the Ghanaian ecosystem is fertile for the realisation of this basic need. After half a century of independence, hunger and malnutrition should be history to every Ghanaian.
14 - EMPLOYMENT Undoubtedly a fundamental need, a new politics of change should prioritise by adopting a strategy of full-employment to work towards. With such a distance to attaining sustainable economic development, there must be so much to do as to provide every Ghanaian a gainful employment with a LIVING WAGE. Any government that is unable to create conducive environment that guarantees a decent living wage for its people is unworthy of being trusted with the mandate of the people.
15 - HOUSING
It is classical that politicians who come into power have an appetite to amass real estate at such breathtaking pace within a short time in power but without a proportionate improvement in the state of housing of the ordinary Ghanaian. This exposes the lack of credibility of old school politics that thrive on empty hype during elections and abandon fulfilling promises to the electorate. It is a fact that after 50 years of independence, millions of Ghanaians live in huts, shanties and ghettoes even in the cities. Simultaneously, an exponential explosion of multi-million dollar mansions for an emerging property owning class has taken place. This contrast makes a complete mockery of any commitment to the notion of government for the people and speaks volumes for itself. There must be a radical housing policy to address this.
16 - HEALTH
Ghanaians deserve a comprehensive health policy to improve their quality of life and protect them from diseases including a public education strand. Resources must be channelled to directly benefit targeted beneficiaries and not stuck in bureaucracy. Everyone is prone to ill-health at a point in time so this is equally paramount.
To the extent that there is no longer universal primary health care in Ghana anymore and that the sick and vulnerable have to endure so much indignity in hospitals is not only obscene, but evidence of government policy inadequacy and ministerial incompetence. It is even more critical, when at the same time politicians are hungrily and avariciously acquiring material possessions and are able to fly abroad for treatment when they become indisposed.
This does not only demean the lives of those who mandated them into power, but also is an insult to their intelligence. Politicians should be subjected to the same health care as ordinary Ghanaians. Anything different is hypocritical and those who cannot make the sacrifice must not go into politics. A radical universal healthcare must be integral to a politics of change agenda, that which respects and values the equality of life of each and every Ghanaian.
The comprehensive strategy must be principled on ‘prevention before cure’ and encapsulate radical sanitation, sewerage, refuse, and pest control and management programs. People must be educated and inspired, empowered to uphold high hygiene standards. For example, spots of national shame such as ‘Korle Lagoon’ in the centre of Accra, the nation’s capital has been there for decades unresolved.
17 - EDUCATION & SKILLS STRATEGY
The educational sector has seen tremendous growth in Ghana which is commendable because she needs a skilled workforce to economically develop. However, the challenge for a genuine progressively progressive government is to guarantee free universal education and align the production of highly skilled graduates to the needs of the Ghanaian labour market for national reconstruction. Benefits arise from two perspectives – there will be no skills shortage, neither will there be mass graduate unemployment. Further, frustration of youthful exuberance would be obviated, instead channelled into productive graduate employment with commensurate living wages and assured work satisfaction.
18 - WATER STRATEGY A politics of change must manifest the wisdom that ‘Water is Life’. As a bare necessity of life, Ghanaians deserve a water policy that guarantees adequate supply of clean healthy water as well as for commercial use. The water resources of the country must be sustainably overhauled and managed to aid human rights entitlement of citizens as well as for national development. Water must not be a privilege or a scarce commodity after 50 years of self-government.
19 - ENERGY
No economic development can take place without a comprehensive and balanced energy policy including clean hydro, coal, petroleum, bio-fuels, solar, wind and renewables such as recycling. Emphasis here is placed on balanced. For far too long, Ghana has depended on hydro-electric and imported crude energy without active and mission-critical approach to alternative sources of energy. The new agenda must be focused on energy independence with transparent publishable arrangements for the new oil find in Ghana. The latter is a national asset, not a party political asset and must be managed as such.
20 - SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Science and technology must be at the heart of any patriotic agenda of serious national consequence. Scientific finds must not remain academic exercises but transformed into practical utility to find solutions to some of the perennial problems that confront Ghana. The fact that after 50 years of self-government, Ghana still relies a lot on scientific and technological imports, despite that we have the University of Science & Technology, is incomprehensible. We could have made good use of the countless fine graduates produced by UST and other science institutions.
21 - VIOLENT CRIME Protection and security of citizens is one of the responsibilities of a progressive government. That Ghana is plagued with rampant violent armed robberies, regardless of time of day, similar to a post-war country, is not only un-Ghanaian and completely unacceptable but an indictment of institutional incompetence. Ghanaians deserve to go about their duties without fear of being violently attacked. This falls within the role of security agencies and the interior ministry and a credible police force must take the streets and internal security firmly back, supported by adequate infrastructural investment. A clear proactive, intelligence-led strategy, tough on both the causes and consequences of criminal behaviour to deter, punish and route out armed robbery is imperative. A proud, professional, well paid and an effective police service must be reinstated in Ghana with immediate effect to protect the public and maintain the peace.
22 – ECONOMICS: FISCAL & MONETARY POLICIES
Ghana has enough home-grown economists to be relied upon for a stable fiscal and monetary policy management. The ongoing global economic crises is telling enough and it is no surprising that our own economic development has been undermined by an overly reliance on costly dubious external policy advice which has adversely affected the quality of life of Ghanaians to the benefit of external economies. The reluctance of Northern countries to grant full debt cancellation, stalled world trade negotiations, hesitance to adhere to fair trade to offer equal return on products and decision-making influence status to counties like Ghana are also instructive.
A new progressive patriotic political economic agenda should be keen on fiscal and monetary policies that protect the interest of Ghana first and foremost, and resist unreasonable conditionalities that mortgage the freedom of future generations. Economic development will not be handed to Ghana on silver platter; it must be fought for with a robust, pragmatic and forward looking policy framework by progressive patriotic Ghanaians who champion and ambassador ‘Country First’.
We must be very clear. If the global economic disorder and the countless economic development strategies are potent, Ghana would have been an equitable prosperous country since political independence. Wise up Ghana!
23 - FOREIGN AFFAIRS
A radical transformation of Ghana’s foreign policy lies at the centre of a new politics of change. Ghana must regain noted leadership in international affairs not only in terms of presence but more importantly in the form of thought leadership reminiscent of the standards set by Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president and of course His Excellency Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General. Ghana must vie for pole position in the inevitable shaping of a post crises world international order – diplomatically and economically including lobbying for an African sit at the UN Security Council.
Further, Ghana must lobby for the ‘pathetically un-ambitious’ timetable for the Economic Community for Africa to be fast-forwarded, given the inevitability of a completely overhauled global economic system/order. This would be a natural way to overcome the ‘scramble for Africa’ which effectively polarised Africa into neo-colonial markets divided against itself. With its aggregate natural resource pool, an African Economic Community [which is 50 years late] will boost Africa’s economic development progress. Ghana must lead such a change agenda at the African Union. Logical next steps would include an African passport, African citizenship with negotiated special dispensations for Africans with the European Union and other regional institutions.
Similarly, a radical transformation in the constitution and culture of Ghana’s diplomatic missions is imperative. Ghanaians choosing to living abroad go through a lot of difficulties and Ghanaian missions abroad must be home and a constant source of guidance and support to them, not detached and untouchable islands. Ghanaians must be made to feel welcome at Ghana missions abroad, besides being business-like.
The cardinal mission of Ghana High Commissions must be SERVICE to Ghana and protection of Ghanaians first and not the other way round. The promotion of Ghana’s national interest and an ethical investment campaign into Ghana must be part of the new culture. Rough up a European or an American citizen the wrong way anywhere in the world, no matter the circumstances, and the respective national institutions of the EU country and the US would all descend until there is justice. Ghana’s diplomats have capable personnel to discharge similar patriotic quality service to kin and kith.
Equally important, a change agenda for the Ghana Foreign Service must be tasked with negotiating one of the best visa regimes for Ghanaians who currently face extensive and far reaching discrimination to the extent that Commonwealth citizenship is in only but name. Yet Ghanaians abroad contribute in no small measure to the Ghanaian economy. All aspiring politicians rally for support from Ghanaians domiciled abroad when seeking office and yet turn a blind eye to the welfare of Ghanaians once in office, only surface again during the next election period. This disequilibrium must be corrected. We can reinstate the Ghanaian personality that reigned during the Nkrumah regime. Together We Can!
Notes to Editors:
1 – The contents of this manifesto do not represent full statement of policies. The foregoing cover fundamental areas of aspirations where we advocate for the government to prioritise, set up expert non-partisan groups for advice and establish SMART objectives with full public accountability. We expect that every major agreement, contracts and financial transactions must be made publicly available for scrutiny by all Ghanaians within stipulated time. This would begin the process of trust and credibility building between citizenry and the body politic necessary for a genuine democracy.
2 – Progressive Futures is non-partisan and not funded by any political parties. 3 – About Progressive Futures Ghana: Progressive Futures Ghana is a new grassroots movement seeking to effect enduring positive change from bottom up. It emerges after having carefully analysed that a continued reliance on the partisan neo-colonialist way of politics in Ghana is inhuman, economically oppressive, politically disempowering and is unsustainable. Progressive Futures Ghana is a response to decades of decadence, deceptive, divisive and manipulative politics. It is being developed in recognition of the fact that 50 years of political independence has failed to deliver the promised economic freedom and economic development to the beloved people of Ghana. This is evidenced by the objective conditions of inequity as everybody can bear witness to in Ghana – a mind-boggling track record of unfulfilled promises from which the politicians turn a blind eye once in power.
It is inspired by belief in the power of ordinary people who have borne the brunt of deceptive and selfish policies of old school politics which have ended up in enriching the political elites and impoverishing the majority of Ghanaians and rendering Ghanaian citizenship meaningless. Progressive Futures Ghana seeks to mobilise Ghanaians to resist the abuse of the mandate they entrust in politicians and hold them to account effectively as servants of the people and not lords or bosses over them.
We are clear that Ghanaians cannot afford another 50 years of abuse, neglect, poverty, destitution, condescending treatment, ridicule and keen that the citizenship rights of all Ghanaians, not just a few, become a reality in our lifetime.
Further information of how to sign up to this once in a lifetime progressive positive movement will be provided in due course.
In the meantime, SUPPORTERS ONLY could reach us through - advocate.progressivefuturesghana@yahoo.com
For Further information, please email – enquiry.progressivefuturesghana@yahoo.com
